As a custom builder or remodeler, you probably already have an inherent sense of the value of design and the importance of a project’s final outcome, regardless of scope. But a little concurring feedback from homeowners never hurts. The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) recently conducted an informal poll of remodeling customers that returned encouraging results.
When asked what aspects of a remodel determine their satisfaction with the project, 49 percent responded that design and outcome are the greatest determinants. Twenty-two percent indicated that adequately having their needs met dictates project satisfaction, while 20 percent said it’s the remodeler’s accessibility and timeliness, 6 percent cited safety precautions and cleanliness during the remodel, and 4 percent claimed satisfaction comes from on-time completion.
The results were not surprising to NARI’s national education chairman and 35-year remodeling veteran Don Van Cura, president of Don Van Cura Construction Co. in Chicago. “It’s a given that design and overall outcome are so important,” Van Cura says. “Long after the pain of the expense and the invasion of their home and all the details of the process are done, they’ll still have the end result.”
“It’s important as remodelers for us to be as close to 100 percent in all categories of the job,” he adds. “No one should have to say that cleanliness and safety are important to them as customers.”
Still smarting from the impacts of the recession, homeowners have reset their expectations and are taking a longer view of their homes and a more practical approach to projects. They’re refocusing on creating spaces that work for their families and lifestyles, rather than on flashy improvements with high resale value. Along with a renewed understanding of the scarcity of money and the necessity of making wise choices comes better comprehension of the power of design. This means homeowners are more involved in every aspect of a remodel, Van Cura notes.
Homeowners have more product options from which to choose than ever before and many different claims to decode, especially regarding green products. It’s incumbent upon any professional involved in a project to ensure the client is educated about the various benefits, drawbacks, and realities of every design decision and product selection throughout the process.
“There’s two to three times the amount of careful discussion and selection that there was 30 years ago,” Van Cura says. “If you don’t take that time up front, you’ll have a disaster in the end.”
